Jaan Klõšeiko

Partitioning Of Carbohydrates And Biomass Of Needles In Scots Pine Canopy

The study was aimed at the quantitative evaluation of the temporal and spatial partitioning of non-structural carbohydrates and needle biomass in a canopy of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) growing in a Myrtillus site type forest stand (predominant in Estonia). The tree canopy was divided into ten equal layers and the material for the spatial partitioning of the investigated characteristics was sampled from all layers. Our findings revealed a significant variation in morphology and in the partitioning of carbohydrates in needles in different layers of the canopy. The study of the temporal dynamics of carbohydrates showed that starch content in needles started to increase in early spring before budbreak, which was accompanied by a decline in soluble carbohydrates. In October, the starch content of needles was low, but the concentration of soluble sugars started to increase attaining a maximum in winter. Regression analysis indicated that before budbreak, the partitioning of soluble sugars in different canopy layers was relatively weakly correlated with the height of the layer; however, a strong correlation was observed for starch. In autumn, when the growth of trees stopped and daily temperatures decreased, the allocation of soluble sugars was correlated with the height of the canopy layer

CHANGING CARBOHYDRATE PARTITIONING IN 6-YEAR-OLD CONIFEROUS TREES AFTER PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO CEMENT DUST

Two-year-old seedlings of Picea abies L., P. glauca L., P. mciriana L., Pinus sylvestris L. and Pseudotsuga menziesii L. were planted in a sample plot influenced by high concentrations of cement dust, and in an unpolluted (control) area in 1990. In 1994, the six-year-old trees were dug up in the pre-bud-break period. A comparative analysis of soluble sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltodextrines), starch and hemicelluloses contents was carried out and the changes in carbohydrate partitioning were estimated. A decrease in the total content of soluble sugars, mainly of glucose, fructose and maltodextrines, was observed in polluted trees, especially in roots, stems and buds, while the sucrose content increased in different organs. Fluctuations in glucose and fructose contents in roots were in good correlation with these sugars in needles and maltodextrines in stems and shoots. Changes in starch and hemicellulose partitioning between different organs of trees were modest and their directions were highly dependent on species

Use of biofuel ashes in forestry

Bioenergeetikas tekkivate jäätmete kasutamine metsanduses Negative environmental impacts of fossil fuel combustion have increased the use of biomass for energy production. As a consequence of the increased use of biofuels, the production of ashes will increase greatly in the near future. Because of relatively high contents of plant nutrients, biofuel ashes can be recycled as mineral fertilisers to compensate for the loss of nutrients resulting from tree harvesting. The present review aims to summarise the available information on factors affecting the quality of the wood and peat ash and the implications arising from ash application as fertiliser in the forest ecosystems. The understanding of the wood ash as fertiliser originates from the traditional slash-and-burn agriculture. During combustion most elements in wood are retained in the ash. The quality and chemical composition of ashes depends on many factors. The major elements in the ashes are calcium, potassium, magnesium, manganese, sodium, iron, phosphorus and sulphur. Trace elements found in different ash include barium, boron, cadmium, copper, mercury and zinc. The most abundant elements in peat ash are silicon, iron and aluminium. Ashes are characterised by high alkalinity with pH in the range from 11 to 13. Ashes raise the pH and reduce the total acidity in the humus layer and in the top of the mineral soil. The addition of wood ash does not result in a significant growth increase on mineral soils but increases the tree growth on peat soils. The Cd in wood ash did not become bioavailable and harmful to forest biota. The application of wood ash did not change or even decreased the 137Cs activity within forest soil. Wood ash application increased the coverage of the ground vegetation in upland forests and on peatland. Increase in microbial activity and growth rate after ash treatment was observed. Use of biofuel ashes in forestry The positive effect of wood ash on plant growth was understood long ago as better growth of grasses on areas burnt by natural fires was noticed. Scientific study of the effects of ashes began in the first half of the 20th century when the fertilisation experiments with wood ash were started in Sweden (1918) and in Finland (1937). Experiments of fertilisation with wood ash of drained peatlands in Finland are classical and the plots are used for studies up to now. The quality and chemical composition of ashes depends on many factors, including type of the fuel, tree species, type of the plant tissue, degree of the processing of the fuel before combustion, type of the burner and incineration conditions, and proportion of bottom and fly ash in the end product. The major elements in the ashes are calcium, potassium, magnesium, manganese, sodium, iron, phosphorus and sulphur. Ash is generally low on nitrogen because it is vaporises during combustion. Trace elements found in different types of ash include barium, boron, cadmium, copper, mercury and zinc. Compared to wood ash, peat ash contains essentially less mineral elements. The most abundant elements in peat ash are silicon, iron and aluminium. Ashes are characterised by high alkalinity with the pH ranging from 11 to 13. When applied to a soil, ashes will raise its pH and reduce the total acidity in the humus layer and in the top of the mineral soil. A rise in the concentration of base cations has been reported. Wood ash application has been found to increase the levels of extractable phosphorus in humus layer when higher ash doses are used and has little impact on total nitrogen concentrations in soil due to its low levels in the ash. The addition of wood ash does not result in a significant growth increase of trees on mineral soils. The limiting factor for tree growth on mineral soils is in most cases the availability of nitrogen. Wood ash promotes the growth of trees and improves the growth conditions on peat soils, and these positive effects are long lasting. Application of low peat ash doses did not increase the biomass production of trees but has a positive effect when larger amounts are applied. The effects of cadmium on ecosystems and a hazard to human health are of particular concern. There is currently not enough scientific knowledge available to recommend restrictions on the wood ash use as forest fertilizer due to high cadmium concentrations. Generally, the cadmium in wood ash did not become bioavailable and harmful to forest biota. Radionuclide content of forest biomass harvested for energy is related with wood ash application. Results based on experiments show that the application of wood ash does not change or even decreases the 137Cs activity within forest soil and vegetation. On peatlands an increase in the coverage of herbs and grasses and colonisation by nitrophiles has been observed. In addition, sphagnum mosses are substituted by forest mosses. However, wood ash may cause burn damages to bryophytes and lichens. According to some published data, the effect of wood ash on fauna consists in changes in the concentrations of heavy metals and radionuclides in body tissues. In most wood ash studies increased microbial activity and growth rate after ash treatment are reported.

Short-Term Influence of Clinker Dust and Wood Ash on Macronutrients and Growth in Norway Spruce (Picea abies) and Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) Seedlings

The effects of clinker dust and wood ash on Norway spruce and Scots pine seedlings were compared in buried pots. Clinker dust (0.5 kg m−2) and wood ash (0.5 kg m−2) were applied to the surface of a nutrient-poor mineral soil. In the second year, the increase in soil pH by the dust and ash were larger than in the first year. Both alkaline treatments caused a large increase in the needle potassium (K) concentration. An excess of soil K relative to magnesium (Mg) was observed by decreased Mg concentration in needles shortly after treatment. However, Mg concentration in needles stayed in the sufficiency range. Current results confirmed earlier findings that despite a positive effect on base cation nutrition, wood ash has a low potential for increasing the biomass of forest stands on mineral soils due to the N limitation in these soils.

Drought tolerance of Scots pine in diverse growth conditions on a dune estimated on the basis of carbohydrates and chlorophyll fluorescence in needles

Drought tolerance of Scots pine in diverse growth conditions on a dune estimated on the basis of carbohydrates and chlorophyll fluorescence in needles Variation in the needle carbohydrate concentrations in Scots pine along the height profile on a forested dune in south-western Estonia were measured in spring. To assess the tolerance of trees, carbohydrate concentrations were compared with shoot morphology and photosystem II quantum efficiency (chlorophyll fluorescence). To test a potential effect of drought events on trees, chlorophyll fluorescence was measured in needles after drying and recovery, and dependcies of the treatment effects on the location on the dune were looked for. Water concentration in detached needles was reduced by a partial drying in laboratory. Needles were recovered by an addition of water. Carbohydrate concentrations were rather constant irrespective of shoot morphology and the tree location on the dune. The reduction in the photosynthetic efficiency, observed after the treatment, depended on the site. The results indicated that trees growing at lowest relative heights on the dune were potentially more vulnerable to drought than other trees on the dune at relative height of 5 to 25 m. Hariliku männi põuataluvus mitmekesistes kasvutingimustes luitel hinnatuna okaste süsivesikute sisalduse ning klorofülli fluorestsentsi järgi Süsivesikute sisaldus erinevused männiokastes olid väikesed, kuigi keskkonnatingimused ja puistu tihedus varieeruvad luitel oluliselt. Püstitati hüpotees, et puistu arengu jooksul süsivesikute moodustumine puudes ja kasutamine kasvuks ning mullaprotsessides tasakaalustuvad. Arvatavasti on luite tipus esinev vee ja mineraalainete raskendatud omastamine tasakaalustatud soodsate valgustingimuste poolt. Süsivesikute sisaldus okastes ja võrsete morfomeetrilised näitajad korreleerusid. Tärklise ja sahharoosi sisaldus oli suurem võrsetes ja okastes, millel oli suurem kuivmass. Fotosüsteem II kasuteguri analüüs klorofülli fluorestsentsi (Genty parameetri) järgi näitas, et vähene sademete hulk maikuus ei põhjusta puudel stressi. Täiendav okaste kuivatamine laboritingimustes suurendas erinevusi Genty parameetri osas. Tulemuste põhjal oletati, et luite kõrgematel kohtadel paiknevad puud taluvad põuda paremini kui puud, mis asuvad luite jalamil. Siiski on klorofülli fluorestsentsi analüüsi ja okaste laboratoorse töötlemise metoodikat vaja edasi arendada, kuna okaste kuivamine sõltus proovi massist. Täpsemate meetodite juures peab säilima praeguse metoodika kasutamise lihtsus ja analüüsikiirus.

Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments for Estonia

Because of its geography, wide coastal areas, water resources, forests, and wetlands, the environment of Estonia is sensitive to climate change and sea level rise. Therefore, the vulnerability and adaptation assessments focused on these sectors. This chapter gives preliminary results of our study. The CERES-Barley and SPUR2 models were used to assess crop productivity. A sea level rise of 1.0 m was used to evaluate the responses of the physical and natural systems in the low-lying coastal territories in the West Estonian Plain and the West Estonian Archipelago. To estimate the responses of forests to proposed climate change scenarios, two case study areas with different types of climate (continental and maritime) were selected and a modified forest gap model was used. In addition, an analysis was conducted using paleogeographical data from Estonia and neighboring areas. These data indicate that between 7,000 and 5,000 years ago (Holocene “climatic optimum’) the temperatures in Estonia were similar to predicted future temperatures. Thus we can compare the state of ecosystems in the past with those predicted for future global climate change.

Evaluation of microwave radiation method for sample preparation of pine needles and wood for carbohydrate analysis

The aim of the current study was to test the suitability of microwave heating for stopping carbohydrate transformations in plant material. Needles and branches of Pinus sylvestris were treated in microwave oven (2.45 GHz, 800W) and compared to the samples treated in boiling ethanol (96 %). In extracts obtained from the microwaved material the ratio of sucrose to hexoses (glucose and fructose) decreased, while ethanol treatment resulted in stable extracts. The carbohydrate composition in dry samples estimated after a month of storage was persistent. The boiling of needles in ethanol in microwave oven gave the same results as boiling on a heating plate. In the woody material, differently from the needles, the total concentration of measured carbohydrates depended significantly on the preparation method. In the case of needles, the treatment of plant material in ethanol was better suited for the determination of carbohydrate levels than the microwave treatment.